A VS Code multi-root workspace lets you open several distinct folders in one editor window. Use one when related codebases or project materials—such as application source and documentation—need to be navigated, searched, debugged, or managed together. If one folder already contains everything you need, opening that folder is usually simpler.
What a multi-root workspace is
VS Code defines a workspace as one or more folders open in a window. A typical workspace contains one folder; a multi-root workspace contains multiple folders, called roots, in the same window. The roots remain separate folders on disk rather than being merged into a new directory.
You can use the combined view to work across roots in the Explorer, search across the workspace, and see source-control repositories in one place. A saved workspace can also bring together settings, extension recommendations, tasks, and debug configurations. It is a way to coordinate a working context, not a requirement for every project.
Choose the arrangement that fits the work
| Arrangement | Best fit | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Open one folder | The useful files for a project share one root. | It is the simplest arrangement, with the least workspace-level configuration to manage. |
| Multi-root workspace | Related projects or materials live in separate folders and benefit from a shared window. | More roots make clear names and careful settings scope more important. |
| Several saved workspace files for one repository | Different roles or tasks need different focused views of the same repository. | Each saved view is another configuration to maintain. |
Ask whether the folders are related, whether they live under one parent directory, and whether you need shared search, source control, tasks, or debugging. If seeing everything together improves navigation, multi-root can help. If the combined Explorer becomes cluttered or the folders have little to do with one another, separate windows may be clearer.
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Add folders and save the workspace
- Open a starting folder. Use the normal folder-opening workflow to begin with one project root.
- Add another root. Choose File > Add Folder to Workspace and select the folder. Repeat for each related folder you want in the window.
- Make roots recognizable. If on-disk folder names are ambiguous, assign descriptive display names so it is clear which project a task or configuration refers to.
- Save the arrangement when you need it again. Save it as a
.code-workspacefile. That file records the roots and can also hold workspace settings, extension recommendations, tasks, and launch configurations. - Use shareable paths deliberately. Relative folder paths are preferable when the workspace file will be shared and collaborators can keep the same folder layout. If the locations differ, check the paths before relying on the file on another machine.
- Remove a root when it no longer belongs. Use the folder’s context menu in the Explorer to remove it from the workspace; this removes it from the workspace view, not from disk.
The VS Code command-line interface also supports adding folders to the last active VS Code instance; opening multiple folders from the command line creates a multi-root workspace. This can be useful when a script or routine needs to open a known set of folders, while the menu is straightforward for an interactive setup.
Understand settings scope before configuring roots
Multi-root settings have different scopes. User settings apply to your VS Code environment, workspace settings apply to the saved workspace, and folder settings apply only to supported resource settings for an individual root. A folder-specific setting can override a workspace setting.
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In a multi-root workspace, folder-level settings are for resource settings; editor-wide settings belong at user or workspace scope. This distinction matters when a setting appears to be ignored: check where it is defined and whether a root-specific value takes precedence. Put shared preferences at workspace scope and reserve folder settings for differences that genuinely belong to one root.
Keep tasks and debugging tied to the right root
Tasks
VS Code can discover tasks from individual roots, including task definitions in each root’s .vscode/tasks.json. Workspace-level task definitions are also possible, subject to documented task-type restrictions. When similar tasks exist in several roots, descriptive root names help distinguish them in the interface.
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Launch configurations
Debug configurations can live in a root’s .vscode/launch.json or in the workspace file. If a workspace-level configuration uses a root-specific variable, identify the intended folder explicitly rather than relying on an ambiguous default. This keeps a configuration from using the wrong root when several projects have similar file structures.
Check workspace trust before running project tasks
Workspace Trust affects what VS Code allows in a workspace. In Restricted Mode, tasks require trust before they can execute. Adding an unfamiliar folder can affect trust for the multi-root workspace, so consider the contents and origin of each root before trusting the combined setup or running its tasks.
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If a task is unavailable, check whether the window is in Restricted Mode and review the workspace’s trust state. Trust only folders whose contents you are willing to run; combining a known project with an unfamiliar one does not make the unfamiliar project’s tasks safe.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use multi-root to reduce context switching, not to collect folders
A multi-root workspace is most useful when the roots have a working relationship: an application and its documentation, cooperating services, or a repository view tailored to a particular role. A focused workspace file can give each task a practical view without changing the repository’s on-disk structure.
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For a single self-contained project, open its folder and avoid extra workspace configuration. For several related folders that need shared navigation or coordinated tasks and debugging, add roots and save the arrangement. Revisit the setup when roots change, paths stop matching, or the combined view creates more clutter than clarity.
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